Ban on smoking in cars in front of kids starts today
By Boingboing
@boiboing (13153)
Northampton, England
October 1, 2015 3:32am CST
As of today - October 1st - it's against the law in the UK to smoke in your car if you have kids on board. The fine if you're caught is pretty paltry - a mere £50 but I still I predict lots of protests about the driver's right to do what he/she damn well pleases and people claiming that we all have the right to abuse our children's health as we please. But as a non smoker who loathes being exposed to smoke, I'm more than happy to see this happening.
I've never smoked and I don't really understand why people waste so much money on something so disgusting and self-destructive. The right to screw up your own health is fine - people do that in plenty of different ways. But the right to screw up other people's health is not one I could defend.
On the other hand you might ask "What next?" Parents being fined for feeding their kids fatty and sugary food? For not putting the porn blockers on their computers so their kids can see age-inappropriate sites? For letting them spend all day playing computer games instead of running around in the park?
I have a company car. Smoking in such vehicles was banned 8 or 9 years ago. Superficially it was justified on the basis of health and safety - too many cases of people throwing butts out of the window only for them to blow back in and set the back seats on fire. I suspect it was more of a financial benefit for the employers - since cars have a much higher residual value at the end of their lease periods if people haven't smoked in them.
So what do you think about a ban on smoking in cars in front of kids? Great idea for public health or nanny-state intervention that's the thin end of the wedge?
5 people like this
3 responses
@Fleura (30399)
• United Kingdom
1 Oct 15
Seems like a great idea but difficult to deal with. I sort of agree that if you can smoke at home with your children in the same room then why not in the car where at least they can open a window and get some air flow! On the other hand of course children - or in fact anyone - should not be forced to breathe in all that smoke. But where to draw the line, will the thought police be knocking on doors arresting people for smoking at home?
2 people like this
@rachelyoung13 (64)
• United Kingdom
1 Oct 15
I think it's wrong when people smoke in the car with their kids as it is such an enclosed space, my friend's mum used to do it when i was in the car when I was younger and it was the most horrible drive ever, always made me want to throw.up, so I'm glad it's no longer allowed.
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
1 Oct 15
I would have rewarded that sort of action with a vom in the back seat.
@cahaya1983 (11116)
• Malaysia
2 Oct 15
I think smoking in front of kids is plain wrong, in the car and everywhere. If banning it would cause people to stop doing that, then why not? But like you said, realistically people would still find a way to get around whatever law they're not pleased with anyway. So do I agree with the ban? Yes. Do I think it would solve the actual problem? Nope.
